TN chief minister seeks funds for housing in Kudankulam

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday urged New Delhi to provide Rs 300 crore separately to build basic infrastructure for people living around the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP).

"It will not be proper for the government to meet the commitment of Rs 300 crore towards this by adjusting the fund into the state's already entitled resources. It should provide Rs 300 crore outside the plan exercise," Jayalalithaa said.

"The state government made enormous efforts to bring the anti-nuclear plant agitation to an end. This effort will benefit the central government's long-term policy on nuclear energy," Jayalalithaa was quoted by IANS, as saying.

The Chief Minister was speaking at a meeting with deputy chairman Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia to finalise the state's annual plan outlay for 2012-13.

The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured her of a Rs 500 crore package for development schemes.

She reportedly said a sum of Rs 300 crore will be required for providing housing to 10,000 people living around the KNPP.

"It has been proposed to spend this amount over next three years with an allocation of Rs.150 crore in 2012-2013, Rs 90 crore in 2013-2014 and Rs.60 crore in 2014-2015."

"The remaining Rs 200 crore will be spent by Nuclear Power Plant under its corporate social responsibility schemes to meet other basic needs like a fish landing centre, cold storage facilities, a motor boat repair workshop, among others," Jayalalithaa said.

A report brought out on the basis of a public hearing over protests against the nuke plant this week recommended that the Centre and the state governments initiate dialogue and resolve the issue mutually.

The report, titled 'Report of the Jury on the Public Hearing on Kudankulam and State Suppression of Democratic Rights', said the right to speech was constitutionally guaranteed and those opposed to the plant were well within their rights to speak about it.

The report was based on the public hearing over the state action against anti-nuclear activists protesting against KNPP Power Plant held on May 14.

The public hearing committee included retired Chief Justice of Delhi High Court A P Shah, advocate Geeta Ramaseshan and Prabha Kalvimani of Irular Tribes Protection Association.